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Getting an overlooked Buffalo Nickel variety into the new CherryPickers Guide.

OnWithTheHuntOnWithTheHunt Posts: 1,281 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited November 23, 2025 10:14AM in U.S. Coin Forum

Who should I contact, or is too late? Referring to the No Designer Initial coins. There are more out there than just the 1916 and I and others have multiple photos to prove it. According to an email a friend got from Bill Fivaz some time ago, the 1916 was included because it was the most common although they were aware of others..

Proud recipient of the coveted "You Suck Award" (9/3/10).

Comments

  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 37,747 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 24, 2025 4:30PM

    These aren't all "varieties". Some are grease- filled "errors".

    Edited to correct: BUT NOT when the feature is incuse.

    Apologies.

    All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.

  • OnWithTheHuntOnWithTheHunt Posts: 1,281 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 24, 2025 6:23AM

    @jmlanzaf said:
    These aren't all "varieties". Some are grease- filled "errors".

    Have at least a half dozen that are. So how do you tell the difference? Here's 2 and can find more if I search my photo files.

    Proud recipient of the coveted "You Suck Award" (9/3/10).
  • ChrisH821ChrisH821 Posts: 6,879 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The F being incuse on the coin would be sticking out of the die, so I don't think a filled die could be the culprit this particular case.
    That 1924 has some serious die erosion.

    Collector, occasional seller

  • yosclimberyosclimber Posts: 5,162 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Who should I contact, or is too late?

    The authors of the book would be the obvious people to contact.

    I don't keep track of revisions to this book, so I don't know if there was a recent update,
    or if there is one just being finished, etc.

  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 37,747 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ChrisH821 said:
    The F being incuse on the coin would be sticking out of the die, so I don't think a filled die could be the culprit this particular case.
    That 1924 has some serious die erosion.

    Fair point. I forgot the F was incuse.

    All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.

  • ManorcourtmanManorcourtman Posts: 8,293 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 24, 2025 6:03PM

    Those are very nice abraded die examples. There are several No F years that belong in the guide imho. I sure wish Ron Pope was still with us. He was the undisputed King of the abraded die varieties. I recently added a 18-S to my collection. That's a real tough one.


  • OnWithTheHuntOnWithTheHunt Posts: 1,281 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Manorcourtman said:
    Those are very nice abraded die examples. There are several No F years that belong in the guide imho. I sure wish Ron Pope was still with us. He was the undisputed King of the abraded die varieties. I recently added a 18-S to my collection. That's a real tough one.

    Yes, Ron is missed. My copy of his Abraded Die Varieties book lists about 20 different No Fs, but some of the coins pictured are partial dates and have a lot wear so that could account for some of the missing initials. I have 11 different at the last count. 1920 seems to be the most common after the1916. I've found several of them, No 18S yet, congrats.

    Proud recipient of the coveted "You Suck Award" (9/3/10).
  • BuffaloIronTailBuffaloIronTail Posts: 7,577 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ChrisH821 said:
    The F being incuse on the coin would be sticking out of the die, so I don't think a filled die could be the culprit this particular case.
    That 1924 has some serious die erosion.

    Think about it. The "F" is raised on the die and can easily be removed by abraiding.

    Pete

    "I tell them there's no problems.....only solutions" - John Lennon
  • ChrisH821ChrisH821 Posts: 6,879 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @BuffaloIronTail said:

    @ChrisH821 said:
    The F being incuse on the coin would be sticking out of the die, so I don't think a filled die could be the culprit this particular case.
    That 1924 has some serious die erosion.

    Think about it. The "F" is raised on the die and can easily be removed by abraiding.

    Pete

    Yes, that's my point. Not caused by a filled die.

    Collector, occasional seller

  • messydeskmessydesk Posts: 20,484 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ChrisH821 said:

    @BuffaloIronTail said:

    @ChrisH821 said:
    The F being incuse on the coin would be sticking out of the die, so I don't think a filled die could be the culprit this particular case.
    That 1924 has some serious die erosion.

    Think about it. The "F" is raised on the die and can easily be removed by abraiding.

    Pete

    Yes, that's my point. Not caused by a filled die.

    Devil's Advocate moment here. It could be caused by a filled die if everything around it is filled in. I don't think that's the case, though, because then you'd see the entire date rock dented in by the impacted mint schmutz.

  • ChrisH821ChrisH821 Posts: 6,879 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @messydesk said:

    @ChrisH821 said:

    @BuffaloIronTail said:

    @ChrisH821 said:
    The F being incuse on the coin would be sticking out of the die, so I don't think a filled die could be the culprit this particular case.
    That 1924 has some serious die erosion.

    Think about it. The "F" is raised on the die and can easily be removed by abraiding.

    Pete

    Yes, that's my point. Not caused by a filled die.

    Devil's Advocate moment here. It could be caused by a filled die if everything around it is filled in. I don't think that's the case, though, because then you'd see the entire date rock dented in by the impacted mint schmutz.

    That would then be a strike-through, wouldn't it? ;)

    Collector, occasional seller

  • messydeskmessydesk Posts: 20,484 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ChrisH821 said:

    @messydesk said:

    @ChrisH821 said:

    @BuffaloIronTail said:

    @ChrisH821 said:
    The F being incuse on the coin would be sticking out of the die, so I don't think a filled die could be the culprit this particular case.
    That 1924 has some serious die erosion.

    Think about it. The "F" is raised on the die and can easily be removed by abraiding.

    Pete

    Yes, that's my point. Not caused by a filled die.

    Devil's Advocate moment here. It could be caused by a filled die if everything around it is filled in. I don't think that's the case, though, because then you'd see the entire date rock dented in by the impacted mint schmutz.

    That would then be a strike-through, wouldn't it? ;)

    If the schmutz were confined to the date rock, I'd call it a filled die, but strike-thru would also be accurate. A bit of an academic point, though.

    Do these F-less nickels exist in mint state?

  • ManorcourtmanManorcourtman Posts: 8,293 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @messydesk said:

    @ChrisH821 said:

    @messydesk said:

    @ChrisH821 said:

    @BuffaloIronTail said:

    @ChrisH821 said:
    The F being incuse on the coin would be sticking out of the die, so I don't think a filled die could be the culprit this particular case.
    That 1924 has some serious die erosion.

    Think about it. The "F" is raised on the die and can easily be removed by abraiding.

    Pete

    Yes, that's my point. Not caused by a filled die.

    Devil's Advocate moment here. It could be caused by a filled die if everything around it is filled in. I don't think that's the case, though, because then you'd see the entire date rock dented in by the impacted mint schmutz.

    That would then be a strike-through, wouldn't it? ;)

    If the schmutz were confined to the date rock, I'd call it a filled die, but strike-thru would also be accurate. A bit of an academic point, though.

    Do these F-less nickels exist in mint state?

    Yes, but they are rare. I made a 1919 in MS62 earlier this year. I believe there are a few out there. I have found the 19, 17, 20 and 24 to be most commonly found. That’s my experience in the past 10 years of searching.

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